In Review: Ready or Hot 2016

by Jahna Peloquin

Published: March 2016

Superhero-inspired fashion on the Ready or Hot 2016 runway

Tim Knox

Planned Parenthood has been making headlines in the past year—and unfortunately, not for a good reason. Nine states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Ohio, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, and Utah, recently voted to defund Planned Parenthood. This stripping of funds and increased requirements of abortion clinics have resulted in an unprecedented number of abortion clinic closings across the U.S., and in five states—Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming—just one remains.

Needless to say, Planned Parenthood is more in need of support than ever. Fortunately, the organization's annual Ready or Hot fashion show and fundraiser, held recently at the International Market Square in Minneapolis, brought out local Planned Parenthood supporters in droves. The well-heeled crowd bid on auction items and entered raffles to raise money for the organization, and witnessed a joy-filled, raucous fashion show, styled by local fashion maven Grant Whittaker. Taking inspiration from the current comic-book superhero craze, the show celebrated everyday superheroes, using members of the local Planned Parenthood community as models. Notable names included the Broder brothers (Charlie, Danny, and Thomas) and mother Molly; fashion designer Lindsey Hopkins; event producer and stylist Richard Moody; and Fashion Group International-Minneapolis. St. Paul director, Sandy Simmons.

As always, the highlight of the show were the looks crafted by local fashion designers out condoms—a cheeky nod to Project Runway's popular unconventional challenge. This year's looks included a colorful fascinator by Hat Make milliner Celina Kane, an '80s-era-Madonna-inspired look by Whittaker, and a whimsical two-piece by Danielle Everine that incorporated balloon-like, air-filled condoms. The show also included a reprise of local designer Joy Teiken's condom gown from the 2014 edition of the show, in which the designer utilized her fabric manipulation skills to make more than a thousand uncoiled condoms move as fluidly as silk petals. Safe sex has never been so stylish.

About The TC Style Blog

From boutiques to salons to your own closet, TC Style will bring you expertly curated tips and tricks from the local shopping, fashion, beauty, wellness, and design scene. Odds are if you put it on, take it off, hang it up, or cut it out, we’ll tell you how to get it. Most importantly, we know that when you look good and feel good, you do good—the beautiful life is about much more than the material world. (But that won’t stop us from loving it.)